The magical world of Repetto
From the start, he strives to free and emancipate women through a fashion that is revolutionary to say the least. He likes to provoke the bourgeoisie and shocks many times, especially when he poses naked for the advertisement of one of these perfumes. In 1971, the sulphurous creator presented “Rive Gauche”, a fragrance that completed the collection of the same name.
Riva Gauche YSL a lifestyle, a new freedom for women
The “Rive Gauche” haute couture collection was created in 1966. It is a collection which once again shocks since we can see a sexy and relaxed woman. The beginning of the 70s marked the emancipation of women, bringing them a new freedom, unexpected, but so hoped for. The woman appears more dynamic, and finally dares to break free from conventions. If Yves Saint Laurent chose to name his perfume “Rive Gauche”, it is first of all so that it conveys the same values as his collection. “Rive Gauche” is a fragrance that reveals the chic Parisian woman at the dawn of her new lifestyle. “Rive Gauche” also refers to the southern part of the capital, known for its frequentation of artists, intellectuals, musicians and students. “Rive Gauche” will therefore be an ultra-urban gasoline, inspired by actress Catherine Deneuve, a worthy representative of Parisian chic. More than an essence, "Rive Gauche" is a lifestyle, a new philosophy, a freedom to be savored ...
The resolutely feminine scent notes of Rive Gauche
It is the perfumer Michel Hy who is at the origin of this fragrance of freedom. "Rive Gauche" contains synthetic molecules called "aldehydes". The latter are revolutionary for the time and bring a metallic scent close to citrus, but that cannot be found in nature. Slightly fallen into disuse, synthetic aldehyde molecules nevertheless give “Rive Gauche” an old-fashioned side. The composition of the latter begins with ultra fresh and invigorating notes, that of bergamot, lemon associated with an aldehyde accord. Ultra feminine, the heart attends the marriage of jasmine and rose. These notes are joined by honeysuckle and gardenia. The bottom of “Rive Gauche” is woody and chypre, as it is composed of vetiver, musks, myrrh and oak moss. As for the bottle, it expresses femininity as well as modernity. Slender, it takes the form of a very metallic glass column, and above all particularly avant-garde. With an electric blue background, the column features black and silver lines. These colors were at the time rather reserved for men, and the designer deliberately used them to emphasize once again, the independence of women.
“Rive Gauche” is Yves Saint Laurent's first fragrance. If it reveals the Parisian chic of the south of Paris, “Rive Gauche” is more than a perfume. Indeed, this first fragrance appears as a real lifestyle and cries out to women "Enjoy your freedom" ...